Out of 24 There Will be a Survivor
by treesinthestarlight
Summary: What happens when Phineas and Isabella are dragged into this game? Will there be only one survivor? Will the Capitol win this game again? Or will the districts win? Credit to Dan Povenmire, Swampy Marsh and Suzanne Collins. T because of the deaths.
1. Reaping

**Surprise! Read and review please!**

**Yeah, I'm obsessed with The Hunger Games and the district's heroine being in District 12. I just wanna keep it that way.**

**Disclaimer: The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins and Phineas and Ferb belongs to Swampy Marsh and Dan Povenmire.**

* * *

**Isabella POV**

It's the day of the reaping. I'm dressed in the traditional reaping clothes. Good attire.

Just a white pleated button-up and a grey pencil skirt. My hair's in a braided up-do that my mother uses for the reaping. I hate this.

I'd rather be hunting right now. Oh, by the way, I'm Isabella Garcia-Shapiro. I have a really depressed mother and a very sweet sister. My mother doesn't care for us. I do. I took over a head of the family when I was only eleven. That was five years ago. I'm sixteen now. My mother is a sore subject to talk about, because I'm still angry that she just sits there, in her faded old wooden rocking chair, mumbling nonsense and staring at the wall for years after our father died. The only time she gets up is to eat, prepare our clothes, or for the reaping. I hate it. I don't trust her anymore.

My family lives in District 12, the poorest district in Panem. There are 13 – oops, _was _13- districts, but the 13th obliterated during the war. My sister, Marigold, is the absolute only person I'm sure I love. I call her Marie for short. She's twelve. It's her first reaping. She's scared.

"Shh, Marie. Everything's okay. Your name's only in there once. They're not going to pick you. The odds are against it," I say.

She only gives me a half smile with teary eyes. "Okay," she replies.

Actually, I'm scared myself. Marie and I have – actually, _had – _a brother, and his name was Willark. He was chosen in the reaping two years ago; he was twelve, I fourteen, Marie ten. He hunted with me sometimes, he knew a bit of archery, and he was good with a knife. He earned a seven in training. He made it to the final eight. He was the last to die. All because the District 7 girl struck him from behind with an axe when he was down examining his leg wound out in the Cornucopia's field. I didn't want Marie to die like that.

We head to the town square. The girls are separated from the boys, and we are separated according to our age group.

We sign up. The Capitol's guards, the Peacekeepers, insert needles in our fingers and we press our thumbs onto an ink pad then stamp it on a piece of paper. They put a drop of our blood from the needle on a scanner and it says our name and age. "Isabella Garcia-Shapiro, 16," the scanner beeps. It verifies if we are still eligible for the reaping or if we aren't. The Peacekeepers in charge of signing up then writes my name on the blank lines beside my thumbprint. "Next," says the Peacekeeper. I scramble to my place in the crowd. Marie's already in her place.

Our district escort, Jenia Rolands, climbs up the stage. She's in her mid-thirties, and she wears extravagant fashions from the Capitol, which is okay there, but kind of bizarre to the districts. She's wearing a spiky wig, blue with streaks of purple. Her heels are five inches tall and her dress seems tight around the hips. Her dress is patterned with the Capitol seal all over in gold, the dress is black. The Capitol is the boss of these districts. It takes joy in seeing the Hunger Games. President Mitch Snow, the leader of Panem, our country, decreed that each year, the twelve districts will offer in tribute one young man and woman, aged 12- 18 to be trained in the art of survival and be prepared to fight to the death. It's a reminder of the war. And, if you defy the Capitol in any way, no matter how big or small, they will destroy you, or, as I put it, 'Mess with us and we'll do something worse and mess with you. We'll mess with your children.' And this is where the Hunger Games come from.

"Welcome!" she says into the microphone. "Happy Hunger Games!" she announces. "And may the odds be _ever _in your favor!"

* * *

**Phineas POV**

As I button up my reaping shirt, I think about my odds. If I get chosen at the reaping, I'm sure to die. I'm not buff like anybody else. I only work at District 12's bakery. I don't even know if I have muscles. My sister, Candace, is 18. It's her last year of the reaping. I'm glad. If she isn't chosen, that's fine. If I'm chosen, it's definitely _not _fine. If Candace was chosen, I can't do anything. I can't volunteer for her, she's a girl. And if I'm chosen…I just don't want to think about it.

I follow my mother and sister to the town square. We sign up, not saying a word, and I run to my place and Candace to hers as our escort testifies the microphone.

"Happy Hunger Games!" she says. "And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!" I hate the Capitol. Always wanting to see Panem's yearly tributes die. Makes me sick.

"Today we are here to announce the tributes for the 35th annual Hunger Games! And now, it's time to watch a film straight from the Capitol!" Jenia says. On the screen, they show the same dull film. Boring.

As the film ends, it's still silent. Jenia continues smiling.

"Ladies first!" she says into silence. She always says that every year.

She walks over to a huge glass globe. There are two of them, one containing the girls' names and the other boys' names. She removes her gloves gingerly and puts a perfect, slender pale hand inside the globe. She snatches a piece of paper and unfolds it as she reaches the microphone.

"Marigold Garcia-Shapiro!" she announces. I know her. She admires the frosted cakes at the bakery during Christmastime with her sister, Isabella. Isabella is the girl of my dreams. She's a knockout. She is perfect for me. My father buys her game from when she hunts. She and Marie had a brother – what was his name? William? Willark? - who died during the Games two years ago. I feel sorry for Marigold. Unless someone volunteers for her.

"Marie!" I hear a voice. Why does it sound so familiar? "Marie!" Marigold has just been put in the hands of the Peacekeepers when the voice shouted. "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" I look up at the screen – I was looking down at my shoes - and know why it's familiar.

It's Isabella's voice.

* * *

**Ferb POV**

I hate the reaping. I have one day to myself, and then – boom. It's reaping day. I tuck my flash drive with all my blueprints in my pants pocket and head to District 3's town square.

Our escort, Donald Underland, is much better than all the other districts' escorts. He's much more civilized and speaks normally. No Capitol accent. But he still wears the bizarre fashions, though.

"Ladies first!" he says. He pulls a slip from the glass globe.

"Brenna Minalc!" She's 18. She's good with technology, and she's good in survival skills every time our school has a camping event.

She has fine blonde, almost white hair, and irresistible hazel eyes and pale skin. She's not good with people.

She climbs up the stage, trembling a bit, and I feel almost sorry for her.

Donald then walks over to the other globe opposite the other one. He snatches a slip from the top.

"Ferb Fletcher!"

I'm frozen. Did they call me? Did they just call me?

I blindly step outside into the aisle and the Peacekeepers take care of me, since a tribute tried to escape before.

I climb up the steps and I face the crowd. I can see my brother with shiny eyes looking at me and my grandmother looking at me, shaking her head, tears running down the side of her face.

The mayor then reads the Treaty of Treason, then Donald motions for us to shake hands. Brenna looks me in the eye and mouths, "Please win. For me. I don't want to kill. Please." I widen my eyes, but then they revert back to their original form. I nod. I even squeeze her hand before going inside the Justice Building. The Peacekeepers lead us inside a room with a couch and two chairs with armrests. I sit on the couch and wait for visitors. They're allowed only three minutes before being led out of the room.

The first ones in are family. My grandmother hugs me and I hold her gaze. "Please work harder. I don't want Greg to starve," I whisper. She hugs me in reply. She works in an electronics factory, but she gets so little pay in a month that you can buy candy with it.

I crouch down to Greg's size. He's seven, and he's years away from his name being put in the globes.

"Greg, listen to me. Behave for grandmother. She's old and our mum and dad are dead. Please listen. Behave. Don't let her get tired. She might die," I say, tears spilling out.

Greg hugs me tightly before pulling away and saying "Yes. I promise." The Peacekeepers then drag them away, shutting the door behind them.

The next in is my friend, Cole. He shakes my hand then hugs me. "Good luck out there, man. Win this. Do it for District 3," he says quickly. Then he goes out. I realize that Cole left a slip of paper in my hands. I unfold it and I realize what it is.

It's a train ticket leaving for District 5. We planned to leave – to escape the district along with our families after the ceremonies – but our plan failed. I was picked. I shove the ticket in my pocket, feeling the cold metal flash drive. Oh no! I had to give that to my last visitor. I had to give it to Greg, but in the midst of everything, of shock, I forgot. I'll just give it to my mentor then.

The Head Peacekeeper opens the door and motions for me to leave. The Head Peacekeeper is as mean and as cruel as our mayor. Always on a budget. That's why we don't have much money in District 3, since supplies are so expensive. At least that's what they say. The supplies are cheap, though sturdy, my grandmother once said. The mayor just uses the excess money to buy useless material possessions.

Brenna and I are led to a car, along with Donald. We step in and suddenly we're being driven off to the Capitol train which will eventually lead us to our death.

* * *

**Note: Isabella's POV and Phineas' POV will continue in the next chapter, along with another character's POV. Yeah, I gave you a glimpse of what I thought District 3 would be like and why they would have an uprising. Next chapter might be up next week.**


	2. Reaping 2 and Train Rides 1

**So, continuation of Phineas' and Isabella's POV and my own OC's POV too. You're probably forming an angry mob, but I was busy.**

**Disclaimer: Phineas and Ferb belong to Dan Povenmire and Jeff Marsh and The Hunger Games belongs to Suzanne Collins.**

* * *

**Isabella POV**

"I volunteer!" I shout out. "I volunteer as tribute!" I push Marie behind me and the Peacekeepers drag me away. The baker - one of my regulars when I trade – carries Marie even when she's thrashing, screaming and kicking. I'm on stage when I regain my focus. Jenia looks at me, all smiles. "What's your name, dear?" she says. I muster my confidence and anger and say "Isabella Garcia – Shapiro." She faces the crowd. "She's your sister?" she asks me. I nod slightly.

She turns to the mayor for approval. "Oh, let her," he says gruffly. "It's not like she did any real harm!" I don't think he remembers me. The girl who always receives tesserae on her birthday, the one that brings him his favorites, wild strawberries, the one who received her father's Medal for Valor when he died. Tragic, isn't it?

"Oh. Well, we can't let Isabella here steal all the glory, shall we? A round of applause for this courageous young woman!" Jenia announces.

But I'm not courageous. I can't stand up to the Peacekeepers. Except the Head Peacekeeper, him I can. But the others who aren't my regulars…Nope, I can't.

But no one claps. No one. I swear you could hear crickets.

Instead, as if simultaneously, they all put their three middle fingers up to the lips and lift it up, pointing at me. I know this gesture. It means 'I love you' or goodbye when we have a funeral for the dead.

Great. They bid me farewell with a symbol for the dead. Now I really feel weak to my knees. Jenia keeps a slight grin. "Let's continue with our male tribute, shall we?"

She walks over to the glass bowl opposite where she picked Marie's name, and plucks a slip near the top. I guess she wants this to be over as much as I do.

She unfolds it. "Phineas Flynn!" No! Not Phineas! He's the baker's son, and I've seen him lift two ton bags of flour. He's got muscles. I can't compete with that. Well, maybe I can, since I know archery, I can throw a knife on target, yeah, but what if I have no weapons? I'm not brimming with brute strength!

He comes up the stage, seeming neutrally calm. He looks into my navy blue eyes and I look into his sky blue eyes. Jenia looks at both of us. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, District 12's tributes for the 35th annual Hunger Games!"

The mayor reads the Treaty of Treason for some seven minutes or so. Phineas and I shake hands, and then he gives mine a squeeze before letting go, which puts a question in my mind: _What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

**Phineas POV**

What? What has she done? Does she realize the danger she's putting herself into? All these questions I want to shout at her, but sadly I can't. She steps onto the stage, wearing a white button-up and a grey pencil skirt. God, she's beautiful.

The mayor just accepts Isabella as a volunteer roughly. If I were him, I would do it with courtesy.

"We can't have Isabella here steal all the glory shall we?" Jenia says. Glory? All I feel is grief.

"A round of applause for this courageous young woman!" I absolutely refuse to clap. Why would you when you know this girl is about to die at the mercy of a bloodthirsty killing machine of a tribute? There are also natural causes, but a tribute killing her is much more predictable.

I dig my fingernails into the fold of my pants to prevent from clapping. But, instead, the people hold their three middle fingers to their lips and release them into Isabella's direction. It's a gesture for the dead.

I do the same. I know, it smacks of rebellion, but I still do it.

Jenia smiles slightly, but she's going to get it from the Capitol once we arrive.

"Let's get one with our male tribute, shall we?" she says after a moment. She walks over to the glass bowl where my name is entered five times.

She plucks a slip from the top. She must be in a hurry, since when she picked Marigold's name she dug deep in the bowl.

She unfolds it. Suddenly I have a gutted feeling in my stomach.

"Phineas Flynn!" she calls.

I'm mesmerized. Well, actually I'm mesmerized and a bit confused. This is actually a real piece of luck. I'll be staying with Isabella for an entire week. How lucky is that?

I step up onto the stage, trying to look calm. I step up beside Jenia, opposite Isabella. I face the crowd, looking at my sister and parents. My sister has a shocked expression, her eyes widened. Yes, I can see that from afar. Her eyes become very big when she's shocked.

Jenia looks at me, then back at Isabella. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you District 12's tributes for the 35th annual Hunger Games!"

The mayor continues with reading the Treaty of Treason, then Jenia motions for us to shake hands. I do, and I give her a squeeze for reassurance for luck. As we are led into the Justice Building, I try to imagine life with her for that entire week, not counting the Games.

I'm inside a room with two chairs made of velvet. Velvet. Red velvet cupcakes. I'm tempted to think about them, since they remind me of home, and suddenly I remember I might not even make it back home.

My father barges in with something clutched in his hand. My sister and my mother follow. "It's not fair!" Candace cries. "It's not fair!" She buries her head in my mother's chest, sobbing. My father hands me a woven cloth necklace with a gold coin. It looks unfamiliar, yet I remember it. I think he wore it at my graduation from pre-school. Yeah. That's it.

"This has been passed down Flynn generations. Wear it as your token from District 12. Please. At least, maybe the last of Flynn men will be able to die a noble death while wearing it," my father says, staring into space. He hands it to me.

Tears roll down my eyes and I sob uncontrollably. My family and I hug each other until the Peacekeepers drag them out. Suddenly, and surprisingly, my distant friend, Baljeet, enters the room. He embraces me then leaves. That was quick.

No more visitors. Okay. I'm cool with this, if no one wants to say goodbye to a person leaving for their death, that's fine. Completely fine.

A Peacekeeper walks in and motions for me out the door. I'm led into a car going to a train station. From there, the train will take us to the Capitol for the opening ceremonies, training and then the fight to the death.

Jenia separates me from Isabella, but its okay. I'm not ready to talk to her anyways.

When we get out of the car, paparazzi crowd us and they need stun guns to keep them out of our way. Still, lights flash and reporters ask questions. Guess it wasn't enough.

The train is elegant and classy. Lots of Capitol food. There are trays of food everywhere. Isabella's eyes widen. I guess she's not used to seeing so much food in her life. I ask myself, _The game is starting, but who will win?_

* * *

**Brenna POV**

My name was chosen. My name was chosen. My name was chosen.

It's all my parents' fault. If my mom wouldn't have won her Hunger Games twenty years ago, I wouldn't be on this train. Even if she is our mentor, I don't care. It's my last year of eligibility and I'm chosen. How unlucky.

Our escort, Donald runs us through instructions. "Once you get to the Capitol, enjoy everything they offer. It will only last a week, unless you become victor. And don't complain in the Remake Center," he says. "Got it?"

The boy tribute, Ferb and I, nod. He smiles and shows us to our quarters. My room is creamy white with a huge king size bed. I only cover 1/3 of it.

In the closets, I find silken pajamas, a navy blue and turquoise shirt and canvas pants. I lie down on the bed, in my reaping clothes, and notice something has been set up for me on the dresser. I stand up and look at it. A gift with a card. Huh. It reads:

_Brenna, dear, I won't be in the train car. I took a separate car to the Capitol. Sorry about that. Your father's on your train though. Here's a gift._

_-Mom_

Of course. She never wants to see me anyways. That's fine. I don't care. I rip off the wrapping paper on the gift and behold, a pair of earrings. They're a peculiar shape; they're shaped like birds. Then it hits me. They're jabberjays.

They were invented by the Capitol when the war was on-going. They were made to record the rebels' private conversations. Then, the rebels found out eventually, so they began feeding lies to them. The Capitol felt ashamed, so they let them die off in the wild. But they mated with female mockingbirds, creating mockingjays. They're quite a nuisance to the Capitol. I've been told there are a lot of them in the 11th District. Why my mother would give me these, no idea.

I found this phone on the dresser, which you can tell what food you would like from a menu in one of the drawers and it arrives instantly, fresh and hot.

I order a cup of jasmine tea and some scones. They taste like home. I'm used to Capitol food, since my mother hired a personal chef from the Capitol to cook our meals. His name is Harold, but I call him Harry (**A/N: One Direction reference XD**). He's a good friend, and he cooks me anything I ask.

I remove my white reaping dress from my body, as well as my undergarments, and I step into the shower. It's quite complicated; there are a lot of commands and buttons, but in a matter of minutes I get it right. I step onto a mat that blow-dries my body and hair, my hair falling down my back. I dress in the navy blue shirt and canvas pants I laid out and switch on the television to watch the interview with the Head Gamemaker, Coltrane Metorex.

"This is the reason why the games are made. They are the heart of Panem," says Coltrane.

They show a video of the past games, where the arena was underground. The tributes didn't know how to navigate, so they ended up being lost at dead ends, killed, or dying of fatigue. The victor won because he grabbed a stalactite and began stabbing the tribute from District 11 violently. Over and over and over… I switch it off. I continue eating my scone until Ferb knocks on my door. "Brenna. Time for supper," says Ferb. He has a Capitol accent, except it seems natural, not forced. He probably came from a long line of Capitol people who moved to our district. I walk out, and I see Ferb dressed in a black shirt a denim pants. We both walk to the dining table we saw a few hours ago, and we find a feast. Vegetable and cream soup. Bread with some spread on it. Stuffed duck. And for dessert, a vanilla cake with sugar inside, chocolate and some jam. We all eat in silence, except for Donald. He raves on about how lucky we are that this upcoming week we will be pampered and treated like Capitol citizens.

That night, I dream about the Games. I see me die. Everyone I love sobbing. What did my mother get me into?

* * *

**A/N: Next chap will be about Stacy, Isabella and Buford. Oh, cliffhangers. R&R please! :)**


	3. Train Rides 2

**So, Stacy, Buford and Isabella's POVs in this chapter. Stacy's is short, but it will be longer in the next one. I promise. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I only own my OCs. I don't own Phineas and Ferb or The Hunger Games.**

* * *

**Stacy POV**

I stare out my window at the last fading house of my district. I turn around. The boy tribute from my district, Irving Godrid, looks at me. "What?" I say. He snickers. "Nothing," he says nervously. Back at the reaping, life would've been much easier if I wouldn't have been taking tesserae. My father would be alone with no help making the nets, and my poor mother doesn't know how to fish or knot!

She's gone senile after winning the Games. We've lost all our money because of her. My father's spent it on psychiatrists because of my mother's problems. So now we live near the lake, with my boyfriend, Grant Crish. He's the most amazing guy ever. Too bad I have to face my death.

Our escort, Friater Josey, taps me on the shoulder and tells me "It's time for dinner, Stacy dear!" I stand up tiredly and walk over to the table. Rose and pea soup, roast maple lamb, some syrup for the lamb, dinner rolls, and a huge lily-covered two-tired cake. I eat my food slowly. When everyone's done eating, I'm still on my first serving of lamb. I push it away from me, grab my plate of cake, and sit on the seat by the window. I eat my cake slowly and finish it by near midnight. The orange-haired Avox asks for my plate. I give it to her and in return she gives me a glass of water. I thank her and go to my room. Besides, I have a long day tomorrow. I miss District 4.

* * *

**Buford POV**

I'm glad I volunteered. That boy I volunteered for wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, I really want to win this thing for District 2. That idiot from 9 killed both tributes from 2. I want to make him pay for this.

My father, our mentor, pats me on the back. "Win this, son. You have to. Otherwise I have no one to take care of Bif," he says. Bif is our pet piranha. He loves me.

"No worries, Dad. I'm going to win this!" I thrust my hand into the air. The girl from my district, Milly (awful name, by the way), scoffs and goes to her room. She grabs the sleeve of an Avox and whispers something in his ear. He nods silently and leaves. We could hear her laugh.

We see him return with a bucket full of butcher knives and paint. She's probably practicing her knife-throwing. I saw her throw in our supposedly 'value-teaching school.' It's really a training school for the Games. Once we reach 14, and you're enrolled in my school, you can volunteer. She's a good shot. Of course, I'm better at swordplay and spear-throwing. Although I can't throw a bullseye, I'm still a good shot.

My dad nudges me on the shoulder. "Go and see what she's doing, boy," he says. He winks at me then leaves for the liquor car. I roll my eyes and I open the door. She throws a triangular blade onto a hand-painted bullseye on the wall, right on target. She looks at me. "What do you want, scumbag?" she says irritated. I shrug. "I wanted to see you throw." "You're a bad liar."

Her real name is Milya Venom, but her friends call her Milly. I admit, I have a bit of a crush, but what did you expect? She's hot.

She has long brown hair, violet eyes, tan skin and a medium stature and build. She's perfect.

I, in comparison, look awful. I'm a bit on the fat side, which upsets me. My black buzz-cut is uneven, and my brown eyes are not at all attractive. Why I have a lot of admirers I have no clue.

She grabs a bigger knife and starts tracing the blade with her finger. "What did you come here for, sweetheart?" she says.

I stand there, not able to process what she said. No one messes with Buford van Stomm. "Excuse me? Did you call me _sweetheart_?" She smiles and puts the end of the knife blade at my neck. "You think no one messes with you, sweetheart, but I do. I even bet I'll win the Games. Anyways, see you later, sweetie," she says. She puts the knife in my hand. I try to go after her, but my shoelaces are tied together. She's good for a 13-year-old.

* * *

**Isabella POV**

My life is such a mess.

Why was Marie chosen? Why did I volunteer? Why was Phineas chosen?

He hates me. At least I think he does.

You see, every year on my birthday I receive tesserae in order to help my family, but in exchange for a couple more entries. It's more predictable I get chosen.

Now, on the week before my 12th birthday, when I get eligible for the Games, I was looking for food. Not hunting; the fence was alive with electricity. I was looking through the garbage cans for any scrap of edible food. I was in bad luck. Almost all the garbage cans were empty. I tried looking through the baker's, but his wife shooed me away. "Get out of here, filthy creature! Die in peace!" she yelled at me. I winced at her voice. I just sat under their apple tree, hoping to die. Leave my family and go to that place in the sky.

Well, I would've died if it weren't for a loud snap from inside the house that kept me wondering what happened. After the snap was a lot of grumbling, shouting. Then Phineas went outside. His face was smeared with coal, but there was a weal on his cheek that made me look at him with confusion. My parents never hit us.

He was holding two loaves of burnt bread. I looked at him; he was breaking off the burnt parts and feeding it to the pigs. He gave me a look of concern, and then he threw the loaves in my direction. Then he went inside.

I hurried out in the rain to snatch the loaves. They were still warm. I put them under my shirt and jacket and try to muster enough energy to run back home. The loaves' heat warmed my skin, which brightened me up a little. When I reached home, I shook Marie and my mother awake, got Prim to make some cheese for us (she has a goat), and told them to eat the bread with the goat cheese. I saw the way they sighed. It was a rare 'I'm-satisfied' sigh than a 'Nothing-to-eat-today' sigh.

The next day, my mother packed us bread with cheese and raspberries. We raced to school. I saw Phineas with a bag of ice on his face. We caught each other's eye. But he looked away.

If there's something I hate, its returning debts. And it's always the first debt that's hard to pay off. I eat dinner silently, with Jenia in front of me, and beside her, our mentor. His name is Bruce Jolls. He won last year's Games.

"So, you're the wimps I'm mentoring, huh? Make sure you're not a wimp. I don't want the press to know the strong, violent Bruce Jolls is mentoring wimps!" he laughs.

Here's the thing about Bruce: he's arrogant. He may have gotten a 5 during the private sessions, but he could wield a pick and blow up stuff with mines. He's eighteen; he's turning nineteen this year. He got to work in the mines.

I wait for Jenia to leave. Then I grab an Avox by the collar. "Get me a sharp knife, will you?" She nods then leaves. A few seconds later, she returns with a sharp triangular bladed knife. I stand up.

Bruce does, too. "You're not planning to kill yourself, are you?" he says.

I smile. "Sit down. You think we're wimps? I'm not one," I say.

I throw the knife, and it sticks in a crack in the wall. I was aiming for it.

Bruce sits down. He sighs. "You're good with a knife, huh? That it?"

"No, I'm good with a bow. But yes, I can throw on target."

He shrugs. "Get to bed, you two. I'll deal with Phineas in the morning. I'm too tired. Isabella, keep practicing your knife throwing in the Training Center. Don't get your hand on a bow just yet. Save that for you private session," he says.

I do as he says and go to my room. It's based on the color blue. I bury my head in my hands and cry.

"_Please win, Isabella! I don't want you to die!" said Marie. I nodded, my tears dropping on the carpeted floor. "I won't, Marie. I promise." She reached into her pocket and handed me a pin. On it is bird. A mockingjay._

"_Marie. Don't give this to me. I can survive the Games," I said. She shook her head. "No, you won't! You gave this to me when Papa died. You said it would keep me safe. Now I want it to keep you safe," she said._

_I hugged her tightly and then faced my mother. "Don't you dare fall apart. Keep Marie safe. Accept anything the baker offers you. Remember Nico? Accept his game. Cook it. Feed Marie. Keep her alive. Do you understand?" I said._

_She nodded. The Peacekeepers dragged them outside. Marie kept quiet. I just cried._

I remove my head from my hands, change into the wool nightdress set up in the closet, and go to bed. But I have one problem: I can't sleep. But when I do, my dream is about all the people I love: dying.

* * *

**Note: BTW, Nico is like Gale :) Anyways, Milly is either and OC or real character. I don't know. But, if she is a real character, let me know! Thanks! R&R please.**


	4. Tribute Parade

**Hey! Chapter 4, coming up! Milly, Phineas and Isabella's POV of the Tribute Parade :)**

**Oh, and BTW, all of the characters with POVs are NOT going to be in the bloodbath, obviously. Here are the names and the districts:**

**Isabella Garcia-Shapiro – 12**

**Phineas Flynn – 12**

**Ferb Fletcher – 3**

**Stacy Hirano - 4**

**Brenna Minalc - 3**

**Irving Godrid - 4**

**Buford van Stomm - 2**

**Milly Venom – 2**

**? – 11**

**? – 7**

**? – 1**

**? – 1**

**? – 5**

**? – 8 **

**? – 9**

**All new character POVs next chapter, along with Irving and Ferb's POV. Figure out the character names. All of them are OCs.**

**Disclaimer: Phineas and Ferb or the Hunger Games aren't mine.**

* * *

**Phineas POV**

Our arrival in the Capitol was quite rushed, everything was a blur. I only remember Isabella pulling me through the crowd.

My stylist, Portia, looks at me. "Hello, Phineas. I'm your stylist, Portia. Is your body stinging?" she asks. I nod. She walks over to a desk and gives me a sort of paste. "Rub this on your skin. It will make the sting go away," she says.

I take the paste, put some on my finger and rub a bit on my arm. The stinging vanishes. I scoop out a handful and continue rubbing it on my stinging body parts.

After I scrape the container clean, Portia takes it from me and sets it down. She sits down beside me. "Now, for the parade, your costume has to be related to the district's industry, right?" she says.

"Yes, ours is coal."

"Yeah, but Cinna – Isabella's stylist – doesn't want that. He wants something that people will remember."

A few minutes later, I'm dressed in a fitted black jumpsuit, along with black leather boots. My hair is being held back by hair gel.

Isabella is wearing the same, except her hair is braided and gathered at the top.

Cinna walks over to us. He and Portia are holding lighters with blue fire. "You're not planning to light us up, right?" I say. Cinna smiles. "It's artificial flame. You might feel a faint tickling sensation, but that's it," he says. Cinna lights Isabella's costume, while Portia lights mine. I wait for the heat, but there wasn't anything.

We board the chariots. Our horses are coal black. Ironic.

Heinz Doofenshmirtz, the Master of Ceremonies for the entire Hunger Games, begins to speak.

"Hello and welcome to the Opening Ceremonies! I'm Heinz Doofenshmirtz, along with my co-host, Norm Thistle!"

They rattle on and on. People are usually excited for the Tribute Parade, because the sponsors can catch a glimpse of the tributes and choose which one to, well, sponsor in the Games.

I put myself inside the chariot, and Isabella does too. At that moment, the horses run off.

I've never been inside a chariot, much less on a horse, so I had a feeling I might fall, even when I'm gripping the sides.

I look back and I see Cinna, grasping his hands together. Isabella nudges me. "What does he mean?" she asks. I look back, and I see him mouth 'hold hands.' I gulp. "I think he wants us to hold hands," I say. She grasps my hand tightly, and I feel I'm about to throw up with all the butterflies in my stomach.

I hold our hands up high, Isabella blowing kisses and catching roses. I do the same, but just waving.

Heinz catches our chariot. "What is that?" he says. The crowd turns to us. "Our District 12 tributes are on _fire!_" he exclaims.

Norm nods. "Yes, and what a wonderful sight!"

I look over to Isabella. Her face looks so beautiful, and I see that not much makeup was used on her. I look stunning as well, if people are cheering for me.

* * *

**Isabella POV**

Fire? He's going to light us on _fire_?

I've never actually been _afraid_ of fire, considering I'm a hunter, but he's going to burn us _alive_?

"You're not going to light us up, right?" says Phineas. I cross my arms. "It's artificial flame. You might feel a faint tickling sensation, but that's it," Cinna says. I trust him, after what he said to me.

"_Hello, Isabella. I'm you stylist, Cinna."_

"_Hello."_

"_So, for this year, we are going to dress you up in something memorable. Something people will remember. Usually, we dress you up according to the industry of the tributes' district."_

"_Yeah, ours is coal mining. Coal miners."_

"_I know, but I don't wanna do that. I'm really sorry that this happened to you."_

"_Usually, most people just congratulate me."_

"_Yes, but I don't see the point in that. Who congratulates people facing their death in a week?"_

I snap back to reality before Cinna lights my suit. It's true; I only feel a faint sensation. Phineas steps on the chariot. It's too high for me, considering I'm a bit short. He holds out his hand for me, but I ignore it. After years of climbing over fences and debris, you get used to supporting your own weight.

Almost immediately after I step on board, the horses start to walk. It starts out as a soft walk, then into a trot, then a full scale run. I grip the edge of the chariot to keep from falling, but then I concentrate and try to think this is a tree, and I'm balancing. I let go, and I balance.

I look back, and I see Cinna grasping his two hands together. Phineas gulps. "I think he wants us to hold hands," he explains. He grabs mine. Before I cold say anything, he holds out hands up high.

I act like a suck-up, catching roses, waving, blowing kisses. Phineas just waves.

I hear the announcers' voices booming over the speakers. "What is _that_?" says Heinz Doofenshmirtz. Somehow, he doesn't have a Capitol accent – British, it was once told to me – it sounds: German, my mother once said.

"Our District 12 tributes are on _fire!_" he exclaims. Norm Thistle nods. "What a wonderful sight!"

I smile wider.

One by one, the chariots stop in the middle of the City Circle. I look up and see the babyish face of President Mitch Snow.

I never trusted him. His face hides a heart of lies and deception.

* * *

**Milly POV**

I feel ridiculous.

My dress is stone gray, with glitter that sticks on my skin. My hair holds a gray crown made of metal. It is covered in silk, with a fair amount of glitter. Stick-on crystals surround my arms and forehead.

Yup. I definitely feel ridiculous.

Buford is dressed in the same way, except in a silver silk suit covered with flakes of silver. His buzz cut is separated down the middle, making him look like a junior professor.

I snicker at him. He scowls at me. "What?" he says. I knit my eyebrows and laugh. This, of course, brings on a scowl upon his face. I laugh harder.

My stylist, Foy, looks at me. He has blue hair and yellow eyes. He looks very strange. Of course he does. He's from the Capitol.

"You look darling!" he purrs. He looks at Buford. "Stand up straight, chin up, and wave!"

The other tributes board the chariots. Being District 2, the second chariot to move, we board them as well.

I stand up straight, I put my chin up, and I wave.

I'm used to this attention, being the top knife thrower at my school. But this is better than what I could've hoped for. I look behind us: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9…I can't wait to see what ridiculous costumes 12 have this year.

Heinz's voice booms. "What is _that_?" he says, pointing behind me. I stop waving and look behind me. I get my answer.

"The District 12 tributes are on _fire!_" Norm Thistle says. I snicker silently. They'll burn to death. But I look back and see they still haven't. I stomp my foot hard on the bottom of the chariot. But I stifle a scowl and smile until we reach the City Circle.

I swear, those tributes from 12 better watch their backs during the Games.

* * *

**Ferb POV**

My suit is a fitted suit made of mesh. My headdress is supposed to represent technology. I feel like an idiot.

Our chariot stops at the City Circle. I clutch Brenna's hand for balance. She doesn't let go.

"Welcome, welcome," the voice of President Mitch booms. "Welcome to the 35th annual Hunger Games. Tributes, we welcome you," he continues. The cheering stops long after we're inside the Training Center, out temporary home.

Donald escorts us to our floor. It's very nice, a lot of plush couches and such. But I really just want to go home. But they can't do that.

I find my room; change into the pajamas I find in the closet and sleep. But I can't.

I toss and turn all night, but I can't sleep. After about two hours of this I sneak outside the room. I see a sliding door that leads to a balcony. I open it and go outside.

I sit down, my knees touching my chin. I cry in silence, in the silence that means death.

* * *

**Note: Sorry Ferb's POV was short, I just needed something to lengthen it. Sorry for the LONG wait, but it was worth it, right? Cherish this chapter! School starts next week for me! (I live in the Philippines, derp.)**


	5. Training Day 1, Morning to Mid-Afternoon

**THE ALL AWAITED CHAPTER HAS ARRIVED! The POVS are pretty short, sorry bout that. :) **

**The deets on the OCs are here:**

**.:-DISTRICT 1-:.**

**Name: Rena Bailee**

**Age: 15**

**Nickname: Riki (only close friends call her that)**

**Appearance: She has reddish-brown hair which curls in at the end. Her fringe is clipped with a single glittery black clip. This was when she was first introduced at the pick. No one volunteered for her. **

**Weapons: She's good with knives and daggers, fire starting, and she uses a sword pretty well. Long-ranged combat is normal.**

**Name: Caron Diret**

**Age: 17**

**Nickname: none**

**Appearance: He has hazel colored hair with unusual white streaks and green eyes. He seems weak due to his medium stature, despite his age but is pretty lethal and quick. He wore a black leather jacket, white shirt, khaki pants and slacks at the Reaping. He volunteered for a 12-year-old boy.**

**Weapons: He's good with swords and spears. He can run fast and climb trees.**

**.:-DISTRICT 3-:.**

**Name: Brenna Minalc**

**Age: 18**

**Nickname: Bren**

**Apperance: She has blonde hair, but is close to white. She was brown hazel eyes and is tall in stature. She's quite thin, for the daughter of a victor. No one volunteered for her.**

**Weapons: She can disable and reassemble technology, and is an expert on survival skills. Chances are she'll survive.**

**.:-DISTRICT 7-:.**

**Name: Menthe Skyrose**

**Age: 14**

**Nickname: Mint**

**Appearance: She has long dark brown hair and brown eyes, and is thin. She's named Menthe, French for Mint, because her mother used to make mint tea for her father when they were still adolescents. She works in her mother's coffee and tea shop for a living.**

**Weapons: She's good in distinguishing herbs and spices. She can use a knife well.**

**Name: Brink Lindt**

**Age: 14**

**Nickname: Ren**

**Appearance: He has soft reddish hair and grey eyes. He is short and has a hearing defect. He has a hard time hearing due to his father being deaf. He works in the paper factory in place of his sister who died a year ago in the Games.**

**Weapons: He's good with blades of any sort. Axes are his strengths. **

**DISTRICT 8**

**Name: Verna Hung**

**Age: 12**

**Nickname: none**

**Appearance: She has tan skin and reddish blonde hair. Her iridescent eyes state her as strange. She is the youngest of all tributes, and is the smartest. She has a reflex speed that's off the charts. **

**Weapons: She's very good with a sling, much less with a bow. She's a good swimmer and runner, placing second in their school's running contests.**

**.:-DISTRICT 9-:.**

**Name: Zeno Pilkin**

**Age: 13**

**Nickname: Eno**

**Appearance: He has coffee colored skin, and bluish black hair. His hair is a bit too shaggy, covers his eyes and is very long. His height and weight is of medium stature and weight. He's very mysterious and not too outgoing, living in an old shack.**

**Weapons: He's talented with the scythe and sword.**

**.:-DISTRICT 11-:.**

**Name: Jinny Kindler**

**Age: 16**

**Nickname: Jinder**

**Appearance: She has pale tan skin and blonde hair streaked with colors, bluish green eyes and a rare accent. She is considered an outsider in her district due to her appearance. She's very friendly, yet shy. She lives with an older brother near the outskirts of town.**

**Weapons: She is a fast runner and climber, and can distinguish the poisonous fruit from the safe. She can speak to the mockingjays in the arena.**

**There you go! This chapter is for you guys :) **

**Rena Bailee's POV**

I stretch my arms and groggily look around. Training starts today.

I get up and wipe my eyes. I yawn a bit too loudly. My eyes can't seem to focus. So I rely on the faint memory of my room and try to walk over to the bath room.

When I finally reach the doorknob, I remove the skimpy nightdress and bathe. I sink to the floor and recall the events.

I wince. They're too painful to remember. The Reaping itself made my life miserable.

A knock on the door causes me to turn off the faucet, dry myself and wrap me in a towel. I step out and see Caron, my fellow tribute, looking at me.

He blushes at the sight of me in a towel, but it passes. "Well, Kandler told me to give you your training clothes, so yeah," he says quickly. He throws the clothes onto my bed and walks out, shutting the door behind him. I sit on the bed and examine the clothes. A plain black t-shirt with a red trim on the sleeves and down the sides of the pants, which are also black. I slowly put on the clothes, and once I'm done, put on my district token. I touch the silver pendant softly and sigh. This was going to be a long week.

**Caron Diret's POV**

I shook my head, letting my hair fall above my forehead, also to clear that image out of my mind. What the hell was I doing? Letting that dog seduce me?

I let out a sigh. She's good. Wrapped in that towel. She's Career material, but she probably doesn't even care.

I dressed in the training clothes, which hugged my abs perfectly. I smirked. The other tributes better watch out. This bad boy's not going down without a fight.

I opened the door and skipped down the steps for breakfast. I saw Kandler looking at me. "Hey. You give the clothes to Bailee yet?" he said.

I nodded and sat down. "So, uh, should I go down already?" I asked. He raised his eyebrows in agreement. "Yeah. I'll tell Rena you already went down," he promised. He went back to eating while I stepped in the circular tube elevator.

When the doors opened, I saw the one person I didn't expect to see.

**Isabella's POV**

I push my way past Jenia and Phineas, but Phineas grabs my arm. "Hey. Wait for me, would you?" he says, those piercing blue eyes melting my skin. I shake my head and pull hard. I step into the elevator and press the button for the Training Center. I sigh and wipe my head.

Everything wasn't going my way. I tugged on my shirt, willing it to be looser and shorter.

I sigh again. Phineas is worming his way into my mind. His hair is just…the perfect shade of red, and his eyes….they take me to another place, a peaceful place, rather than this hellhole.

Why do I suddenly have feelings for him? The only time we've last spoken was when he threw me the loaves of burnt bread.

I shake my head, trying to focus on the situation. I see the floors descending rapidly. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - the elevator stops. I roll my eyes. District 1 going to be with me.

Before the door opens, I cross my arms in order to look superior. But it's not working.

The District 1 boy eyes me suspiciously, then shrugs and steps into the elevator. We're the same height, considering I'm sort of short.

I clear my throat. "Hi. I'm Isabella. And you are?" I say a lame attempt to at least join the backstabbing Careers. Teach them a lesson.

He looks at me. He takes my hand. "I'm Caron. Nice to meet you," he says warily. I let go and look at my shoes. The doors finally open, and I'm one of the first there. The tributes from 2, 3, 5, 7, and 11 are here.

I spot the boy from 3 looking at me strangely. Why?

**Ferb's POV**

I step out of the elevator, Brenna trailing behind me.

The vast room carries loads of weapons and survival exercises, in order to help us survive the Games. Or at least, most of us. Brenna nudges me. "Look," she says.

She's pointing to a huge contraption, a metal bar hanging over it. Under the bar is a huge gold vat, of something, I don't know.

Brenna gulps in fear. I look at her and hold her hand (**A/N: Ferb's 18, same as Brenna, so possible….ya know what I mean ;]) **tightly. She grips my arm too.

The elevator opens to reveal the District 1 boy and the District 12 girl, both have the recognizable scowl, as if it's been there forever.

The District 12 girl looks at me and catches my eye. For a moment she looks at me with a bit of hope, but it fades and she looks down.

Brenna tugs my arm and looks at me. "Ferb, please stay with me," she pleads. I don't know why, but her eyes are really convincing and….

I clear my throat and smile grimly. "Sure, Brenna. Anything."

**Brink Lindt's POV**

Why did I get chosen? I never wanted to get tesserae, but I had to. My dad was tired after coming home from work, and the paper factory doesn't give much pay. What could I do?

Just staying in this building makes me remember her. So sweet and innocent, just twelve.

My sister. My innocent, little sister.

Murdered by the Capitol.

I gripped my hands tightly and wrenched them together. I rubbed them nervously and hastily, like what I did almost everyday of my life.

I miss 7. Even though the paper factory wasn't glamorous or paid a lot, it still provided the money we need for food. If I died, my father wouldn't have any more money to get a hearing aid.

My faint hearing problem was a difficulty. I wouldn't be able to sense if anyone was going to sneak up behind me, at least put a knife in my back.

I stepped off the elevator and looked around. My fellow tributes were walking around, obviously waiting for the others.

I sat on one of the benches by the wall and sighed. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. Despite my hearing, I have good eyesight.

I started to drift to sleep until someone unexpectedly poked me in the arm. I opened my eyes and saw that the female District 11 tribute was looking at me with her indescribable eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" she said. It sounded like a faint whisper, but I caught it. "Yeah, sorry, I didn't sleep well last night," I said. She smiled and sat next to me. She grabbed my hand. "Me neither," she replied. I swallowed.

"I'm Brink. Nice to meet you," I said. She looked at me. "I'm Jinny. Nice to meet you too. Allies?" she said. I nodded. "Allies."

**Verna Hung's POV**

I hug myself tightly. I'm just 12. Why do I have to die?

My escort told me to hang on to survival skills and save the sling for the private training session. My district doesn't have a victor yet.

I know that I'm the youngest. I know I'm small. I know that I'm ally-less.

I'm going to die in the bloodbath.

The elevator opens and reveals the District 12 boy, Phineas. What a weird name.

Just on cue, the head trainer, Alya, calls us to the center. The other tributes surround her and some stand stiff, the others shift from foot to foot.

"Okay. So this is my first year as head trainer. I just want to remind you that most of you want to pick up a sword, or probably throw a spear. But remember, survival skills are most beneficial to you. Exposure kills easily as a knife," she explains. "Most are individual, the rest are group training. Take these skills seriously."

She points to a large vat with a metal bar hanging over it. "This is a new training contraption, testing your swimming skills. You will train here in your private sessions."

I huff. Swimming has always been my strength. I have tons of medals for swimming at home. That would be easy.

I see the District 9 male tribute shivering nervously. He obviously wasn't prepared for this. He was the second youngest tribute, besides me. His name was something like…. Eno? Seno? Something like that.

I knew he was weak from the first time I saw him. But maybe he was my best chance as an ally.

"You may now start," Alya says. I shake my head and head directly to the snare station. I used to catch stray dogs with snares for food, but I was never good at it. Now I can learn better.

The District 12 female tribute joins me a few seconds after I arrive. The trainer, Yearli, smiles and teaches us some basic snares and knots. The District 12 tribute looks at his snares critically, as if there was something wrong. He proceeds to the other tributes at the station to help, and leaves us to make the snares.

I already perfected this snare that leaves an animal hanging by its neck, but I still practice it.

The District 12 girl does the snares quickly and flawlessly, as if she'd done it her entire life.

She looks at me and catches me staring. I instinctively look down, my cheeks flushing the same color as my hair. I'm always caught staring at school, especially at the popular kids. I don't have many friends.

The District 12 girl grabs my chin gently and pushes it up. She smiles and strokes my hair. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you," she says. I blush and look at the ground. She removes her hand from my face and I look up. I see hope in her eyes.

"I'm Isabella. What's your name?" she asks. She might be older than me, but I know that I can trust her. "Verna. Verna Hung."

**Jinny Kindler's POV**

I wipe my forehead. I never knew making a fire was so hard.

The trainer looks at me and smiles. "That was quick. For a starter," he says. I smile and stand up. I walk around, looking for a station. I look to my left and see the District 2 girl, Milya, throw a couple of knives. One sticks in the dummy's stomach and the other sticks into the dummy's head.

I shiver and look to my right. I see Brink at the swordplay station. He deflects, steps back, and gives a thrust into the trainer's protective padding. They shake hands. I look away and head to the edible plants section, to refresh and improve my knowledge, coming from District 11.

The trainer teaches me about the edible plants and tree bark, some of which I never knew about. The trainer puts me in front of a screen with plants, fruits and trees on it. She tells me it's to test my knowledge and what I've learned from her. She leaves me to finish the test.

I touch a picture of a katniss root and it disappears and what replaces it is a check. I smile and I continue, progressing rapidly. I press the last button and just as I do, a hand touches my shoulder. I turn around, my hair accidentally whipping Brink in the face. He rubs his nose accusingly. I widen my eyes. "I'm so sorry, Brink. I didn't know, I'm so sorry," I apologize, rubbing his nose.

He pushes my hand away and shakes his head. "Sorry, I can't hear you. Can you say that again?" he whispers. I whisper back loudly, "I'm sorry."

He smiles and nods. "It's fine. Sorry, I have a hearing problem. You have to watch my back during the Games, okay Jinny?" he replies.

I smile.

**Zeno Pilkin's POV**

I looked around and saw the other tributes at the stations: the 7 boy at the sword fighting, 11 girl at the plants, and 12 and 8 at the knots. I headed to the swords for sanity.

There weren't many scythes, which I was greatly disappointed at, but I handled the saber and double-sided blade well. After, the lunch bell rang, and all of us went outside for lunch. I went the opposite way and went inside a storage closet.

I thought about my family. Dead, murdered, found in a ditch. My two-year-old brother. Dead.

My shaggy hair caught the sight of many girls, but I brushed them away. No one could ever replace my family.

I heard the faint sound of a bell, and I opened the door gingerly and I closed it softly. I headed for the Training Centre, taking small steps.

I looked around and decided to try archery. It looked easy, but it was more complicated than I thought. In the end, I hadn't made any bullseye shots, but I vowed to train archery often.

In the elevator, the District 12 boy looked outside wistfully. I wonder what he's thinking of.

I cleared my throat and held out a hand. "Hi, I'm Zeno. And you are?" I asked. He whipped around and widened his eyes. "Oh, uh, I'm Phineas. Nice to, um, meet you, I guess," he said warily. We shook hands, and in the silence between us I knew that we were going to be allies.

**So, whaddya think? Like or not? Next chapter will be more focused on the Careers, and the next will be focused on the interviews :3**

**Hope all my hard work paid off!**

**-Rea xx**


	6. Training Day 1, Evening to Midnight

**GUYS PLEASE READ MEEEEEEE**

**Anyways, hi! It's been a LONG time, and I wanna make it up to you guys by posting not one, not two, but THREE chapters here because I've been a really bad author. These three chapters are about the Careers' backstories, some other tributes' POVs in the night (this chapter), continuation of training (the next), the interviews and the start of the Games (the one after).**

**Listen, I am sorry for leaving this story and the other stories, especially What Time is It? It's Song Time! And Fire Burns Brighter in the Darkness, and they were long ignored, I will finish all your requests and add two bonus songs (for WTIIIST) and add three chapters (for FBBITD). **

**I will also re-write Life is Hard, Acceptance is Harder since to be honest I've been in the dark for most of the time with ThoMarie for sometime, and I will try to be accurate. Happy Update Fiesta, guys! ^_^**

* * *

**Isabella's POV**

Wringing my hands, I head for the dining room, the table once again full of delectable treats that my family and Nico's would crave for. I sit down quietly in my seat as I listen to Phineas and Bruce chattering about training.

"I have an ally, Zeno Pilkin. We had a quick chat in the elevator, but I think we'd get along well. He lives alone and doesn't have any friends, which is why he was nervous when he was talking to me," Phineas says. Bruce tilts his head. "That's a good sign, you having an ally. You should get to train and talk with him more, enhance any skills you or him may have. You might make a good team." I zone off, too concentrated in poking my food around with my fork mindlessly. I worry about how Marie and my mother are doing. How is Nico? Is the baker giving them the hard, unwanted scraps of bread? That could feed them for a week, depending on the amount, but the most is about three days. A memory stirs; when the rain was pouring, and Phineas' face had a huge red welt from burning the loaves of bread for me…..

I shake my head. Unfortunately, Jenia notices. She nudges my shoulder. "Isabella, what about you? Any allies?" she says. I look up into Phineas' and Bruce's eyes, navy blue against sky blue and green. Phineas smiles. "She made friends with the girl from 8. Verna, right? I talked with her a little at lunch," he explains to me. "I asked her to be my ally, but she politely declined and told me she'd ask her other ally if it was okay. I asked who she was, and she said it was you, so I decided to ask you. Are you okay with it?" I shake my head, unable to contain the slightest hint of a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, sure, I'm fine with it."

* * *

**Caron's POV**

Silently eating, I thought about tactics to use for the Games. Maybe I could hide and ambush? No, that's too old. I kept thinking for ways until Kandler shouted, "Caron! Did you hear me?" I snapped out of my trance and looked at him. I saw Rena snicker. I glared at her. "What are you laughing about, you piece of—" Kandler shushed me. He shook his head.

I'm sure Rena isn't one to laugh at one's misfortune, so why did she do it now?

She looked at me and smirked. "Kandler was asking us if we made any allies today or learned any survival tips. I already told him everything, what about you?" My mouth twitched. I wanted to make her suffer, and it was only the start of day 1.

I mustered a smile. "I talked to the girl from 4. Her mom's a victor, but she became insane." I scooped some buttered peas and mushrooms onto my spoon and ate it. "I practiced my swordplay and spear-throwing." I didn't mention my meeting with the girl from 12.

Kandler nodded absentmindedly, not wholly satisfied with my answer. "Alright, finish your supper and then go to bed. You have a lot to do tomorrow," he said. He stood up and walked to his room. Our district escort, Yuni, wipes her mouth. "I'll retire for the night. The Avoxes will take care of your every need, don't bother asking," she reminded us. She left too.

Rena and I were left alone. She stood up and I went for the kill.

I grabbed her arm and forced her against the wall using a technique that is nearly inescapable. My forearm was at her neck. She clawed at my arm. "Caron, what the hell!" she shrieked, her face full of anger. I brought my own an inch closer, so that our foreheads were touching. "What the hell? What the hell with you! You try to seduce me then you laugh at me? What the fuck?" I shouted. Her face softened, and then she blushed. "What? No, I wasn't laughing at you! I remembered something today that _made_ me laugh! And what's this about seducing you?" she said.

I blushed, probably because our faces were close together. I let go of her and she brushed herself down. She coughed to get rid of the awkwardness. "Um, anyways, good night, Caron," she muttered before leaving. I sat down on the sofa, my hands gripping my hair. Why do I feel something stirring inside me?

* * *

**Rena's POV**

I shut the door behind me, sliding to the ground. What just happened?

Everything happened so fast. I was standing up, then suddenly Caron's on top of me, his forearm on my neck. I could hear him breathing, shouting at me. I lied about the laugh part: I really was laughing at him. I couldn't stand being beat by that jerk, now could I?

I shake my head, gripping my silver pendant. I read the inscription: _Rena, we love you. Come back home._

I clutch it harder and cry my eyes out. Leaving my family was the worst thing I could ever have done. What was I thinking? I let Deniel convince me they hated me, so I ran off, always in jail, huge criminal record, I was a bad bitch. One day I received a package from my family. I was reluctant to open it. When I did, which was about a month later, it was my district token. I started softening from then on. Weeks after that: my friends left me. They left me, saying I wasn't badass enough for them. I went to a bar that night, drinking my first sip of liquor, coughing and hacking. The bartender laughed. "That one's on me, sweetheart. I can tell you don't have any money," he said. I went back to my old apartment that my parents bought for me. I cried all night, breaking things, making a mess.

I tried going back to my parents, but they had moved, and the new owners of the house don't know where they went. I asked my aunt, who lives nearby, and she gave me the address. Unfortunately, the day when I wanted to find them was the Reaping.

I sat in the room where people could visit you, alone. The doors burst open and my family came in, crying. I started crying too, saying 'I'm sorry' every now and then. After about ten minutes, they were escorted out of the room. I couldn't bear to lose them again, so I promised them I would come back. I didn't care how many lives I needed to take. I just wanted to see them again.

* * *

**Milly's POV**

I toss and turn, unable to sleep. I sit up, running my fingers through my hair tiredly. I sigh. I could never bring myself to admit that I wanted out.

I'm as fake as all the plastic bags in the world. I say I want to join this shit when in fact I just want to stay home and be safe in the arms of my father who died just before the Reaping. I sniff when I realize someone knocking on my door. I compose myself, put on a scowl and look as if I had just woken up. I wait a few seconds to make it look as if I was still getting up. I open the door to see Buford standing there. "What?" I demand. He sighs. "Can I talk to you for a while?" I nod reluctantly and welcome him in. He sits on the bed. "Why do you wake me up in the middle of the night to talk? Is it serious?" I say sarcastically, even though I mean it.

He looks up at me, and I see his big brown eyes glistening. He was about to cry.

I couldn't believe it. Big, strong Buford van Stomm about to cry, right in front of me.

I snort a bit to make it look like I was snotty. "Are you…crying?" He wipes his nose. "Okay, yes, I am. I just—don't want to make a fool of myself. I mean, I want to win and bring honor to District 2, but…" he trails off. I sit beside him.

"But why, Buford?" I ask gently. He sniffs. "I don't want to die. I don't want to become someone I'm not," he says. "I don't want to disappoint my father, I don't want to disappoint District 2, I don't—I don't—" he stutters. I hug him, and surprisingly he hugs back. "We'll get through this, buddy. Don't worry."

* * *

**Irving's POV**

Eating gives you energy to live, right? Well, if that's right, then I should stop eating.

Unwanted. That's how I felt everyday of the fourteen years of my existence. My parents were too busy to care for me; I had fake friends, why would I keep on living?

Her. It was because of _her_ that I am still standing. She told me to hold on. She was my only real friend. Janine was the reason of why I made a complete fool of myself the day before the Reaping. I told her I liked her. She actually told me she liked me back, but guess what happened? Her other admirer punched me and sent me to the nurse's office, saying I bumped my head on the door because I was too busy looking at Janine.

Of course, this spread like wildfire, and out of utter embarrassment Janine and I spent the afternoon together. She was my first kiss.

But everything changed once the Reaping took place. I was chosen. Janine promised me she would volunteer for the girl who was chosen if I was chosen, but how could that be? I just swore that I would get out of here alive. Unfortunately I think that would be a problem.

* * *

**Brink's POV**

I ate dinner in silence, not realizing that everyone had left long before I was finished. When I was done it was already ten o'clock, so I pushed my plate away and went to my room. I took a quick shower and dressed in sleepclothes, not wanting to sleep because of the horrible nightmare I dream of every night since my sister was broadcasted dying on national television.

_I see Dhenise, running away from that horrid monster._

_The monstrous boy from 4._

_I scream at the television, screaming "Get out! Run faster!" but I know they are useless. I scream and shout and shriek my heart out, tears running down my face. I bury my head in my hands, my parents crying silently. I couldn't bear to see what happens._

_Suddenly, I'm beside Dhenise, and she's crying and muttering "He killed me….he killed me…." I try to comfort her, stroking her blonde hair, but she pushes me away. Her face is distorted with anger. "You let me die, Ren! You didn't help me! You betrayed me!" she shouts. I cry too, saying "I didn't want to let you die, Dhenise! I couldn't….I shouldn't….." as I see her body falling down into the fetal position, knife sticking out of her chest. Blood trickles down her chin, and I wipe it away. Her eyes were still open, showing the initial shock from being stabbed._

_I look behind me and see the boy who killed my sister. He comes for me. "Run! You know I'll catch you anyways," he says._

_I run. I run until I'm out of breath. I run until there is no place to go. I run until I finally feel the sharp blow of the knife against my lower back._

I woke up, breathing heavily. I looked around, finding myself on the rug by my bed. I must've fallen asleep while trying not to. Running my hands through my hair, I stood up and went to bed. Surprisingly, for the first time in months, I was able to sleep with a peaceful dream: one in which I am not here, in the Capitol, playing their game, in which Dhenise is alive, in which the Games never existed and no evil was known. How I wish it wasn't a mere fantasy but a true reality.

* * *

**Menthe's POV**

I stayed up all night, because of the fact that I was scared of what tomorrow would bring. I am good with a knife, and I know the edible plants, but I can't survive anything like this. I would die in mere seconds, for all I'm sure.

I went out of my room, wanting to clear my mind. I saw an open window and a window seat a few feet by the dining table, so I asked an Avox for some chamomile tea and sat down, drinking in the hot tea against the cold air outside. I finished the tea and set it on the seat. Why do I have to suffer this? I didn't want to. I mean, I know Brink's here; we are already allies, but…

_The train was extravagant, nothing like I expected. My mouth hung open._

_The boy from my district, Brink, looked at me and smiled. He pushed my chin up. I glanced at him and blushed, sitting at the table. We talked for some time, with me speaking louder because of his hearing problem, and I began to like him more. He wasn't at all like I expected: not moody or emo-ish or anything. _

_I admit I already had a small crush on him before the Reaping, never telling anyone. He's friendly, smart and kind. His hearing problem doesn't faze me. We were acquaintances before when we were in preschool, but we grew apart. _

A sound startled me. I turned around quickly, knocking over the teacup and saucer. It shattered into pieces. The Avoxes sprung to clean it up, but I had already gathered the pieces. They went back to their places.

I saw Brink staring at me, blushing and looking down. I put the broken teacup and saucer in the trash and walked up to him. "Hey, Brink. Why are you up so late?" I asked a little louder than the usual. He looked at me, his hair in his eyes. "Why are _you_ up so late? I was going to get some water," he replied. I shrugged my shoulders. "I couldn't sleep. What about you?" I said, walking back to the window seat. He followed me. "I had a nightmare about my sister," he muttered. I sat down again, patting the space beside me motioning him to sit. He reluctantly did, both of us bringing our knees up to our chins, looking at the world below.

He whipped his head up to look at me. "Got any allies, yet?" he inquired. I shook my head, smiling. "No. I figured you'd be mine, but apparently you haven't asked me yet. You're allies with Jinny, aren't you?" He nodded. "I figured you'd ask me, but I guess we're already allies."

It was quiet after that. I must've fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew was that Brink was carrying me to the bed. "Brink…" I whispered. He looked at me. "Shh…don't worry," he hushed. "You should get some sleep." He laid me on the bed, and he covered me with the thick blanket. I curled into a ball when he kissed my cheek. "Good night," he whispered.

After he left, I fell asleep, no nightmares, no nothing. Brink made me feel comforted. In the morning, I touched my cheek where he kissed me, as if his lips were still there. I smiled.

* * *

**Zeno's POV**

Waking up was always easy for me. It became frequent during the nights after I saw what happened on July 7, almost three years ago.

_I walked to the house, a skip in my step. I just discovered that I got a high score on my report card _**(a/n: In my school, they don't mail it to the house of the student, they give it to the student and they are responsible of showing it to their parents. Clear?)**_,__and I wanted to show my family. Rexem didn't go to school yet, but he always wanted to see how I did. _

_I unlocked the front door and went inside. My parents work at home, so I was able to see them when I come home from school. "Mom? Dad? Rexem?" I called out. I didn't hear a response, so I dropped my bag beside the door and ran upstairs, checking every room. "Hello? Mom? Dad?" I called, louder this time, almost shouting. I ran to the backyard, desperate to find them. _

_I gasped. I saw a deep hole, stuffed with my parents' and Rexem's bodies, dead and lifeless. There was blood on their chests, knives in them._

_I let the tears fall freely from my eyes. Crying, I went in the hole and carried my brother's body. "Rexem, wake up! Rexem, please, you're not dead, you're not dead, you're…" I kept chanting this wild mantra until I eventually gave up and called a nearby Peacekeeper. It was the talk of the district for over a month. I ripped my report card in pieces a week after the incident._

Tearing my hands from my eyes was difficult these days.

However, my pain eased once I received a letter after two months.

It explained what happened yet left me intrigued. It read:

_Zeno, I know you've been pondering over the unfortunate incident two months ago. I know what happened. I saw everything._

_Sadly, that is not mine to tell. Your parents had it in for them. Poor Rexem, killed because of you parents. Your parents are monsters, Zeno. You know nothing of what they do. You know nothing of the people they have hurt. You are oblivious to the fact that you parents were killed for the good of the District. Rexem was innocent, but they killed him anyway. You, on the other hand, have no wrong in you, which is why you were spared. But mark our words; we have done you good, Zeno. Don't you ever forget that._

It was anonymous, as I expected, but Rexem, innocent little baby Rexem, killed for the good of our District? Nothing has improved over the past three years!

I sniffed, realizing that I have been crying all along. I stayed awake, wondering about what wrong my parents could've done.

* * *

**a/n: Hey guys! Sorry, but this chapter has got to end. The next one will be out soon I promise, bros! I personally think Zeno opens up a lot in this chapter, ya think?**

**I will respond to some reviews:**

**Cassadra (anonymous): I don't hate Ferb, if you're accusing me of it. I just don't want him to be a Career, that's all. And I think District 3 is a great District! Don't you think so?**

**shadowayn: It may not be as you think. There will be a survivor, yes, but will there be one or more than one? ^_* Ponder over that.**

**That's it! I'm looking forward to your great reviews!**

**Review and favorite! **

**xo Jenn**


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